ISTANBUL — A bomb rocked a bustling pedestrian avenue within the coronary heart of Istanbul on Sunday, killing six folks, wounding a number of dozen and leaving panicked folks to flee the fiery blast or huddle in cafes and retailers.
Emergency autos rushed to the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a well-liked thoroughfare lined with retailers and eating places that results in the enduring Taksim Sq.. In a single video posted on-line, a loud bang may very well be heard and a flash seen as pedestrians turned and ran away.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan known as the blast a “treacherous assault” and mentioned its perpetrators could be punished. He didn’t say who was behind the assault however mentioned it had the “odor of terror” with out providing particulars and likewise including that was not sure but.
Sunday’s explosion was a stunning reminder of the nervousness and security considerations that stalked the Turkish inhabitants throughout years when such assaults have been widespread. The nation was hit by a string of bombings between 2015 and 2017, some by the Islamic State group, others by Kurdish militants who search elevated autonomy or independence.
In recent times, Erdogan has led a broad crackdown on the militants in addition to on Kurdish lawmakers and activists. Amid skyrocketing inflation and different financial troubles, Erdogan’s anti-terrorism marketing campaign is a key rallying level for him forward of presidential and parliamentary elections subsequent yr.
Erdogan, who left Sunday for the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, mentioned six folks have been killed. Vice President Fuat Oktay put the wounded toll to 81, with two in critical situation, and likewise mentioned it gave the impression to be a terrorist assault.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag informed pro-government broadcaster A Haber that investigators have been specializing in a lady who sat on a bench by the scene of the blast for about 40 minutes. The explosion came about simply minutes after she left. He mentioned her identification was not but clear, nor was it clear what group could be behind the assault.
A supervisor of a restaurant close to the place the bomb went off mentioned he heard the explosion and noticed folks working. The handfuls of shoppers inside his restaurant, together with girls and kids, panicked and screamed.
The supervisor, who spoke on situation of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the state of affairs, mentioned he closed his restaurant’s shutters, fearing there could be one other explosion, and tried to calm the shoppers down. After about 15 to 25 minutes inside, he noticed police on the avenue and arranged the shoppers and his workers to go away in small teams.
Quite a few international governments supplied their condolences, together with neighboring Greece with which relations are tense. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mentioned he was “shocked and saddened by the information of the heinous assault.”
Following the assaults between 2015 and 2017 that left greater than 500 civilians and safety personnel lifeless, Turkey launched cross-border army operations into Syria and northern Iraq in opposition to Kurdish militants, whereas additionally cracking down on Kurdish politicians, journalists and activists at house.
Whereas the Kurdish militants, often known as the PKK, are thought of a terrorist group by Turkey, the USA and the European Union, critics say Erdogan has additionally used broad terror legal guidelines to stifle free speech.
Most lately, Turkey enacted a controversial “ disinformation legislation ” that carries a jail sentence of as much as three years for social media customers who disseminate false details about home or worldwide safety, public order or well being. Critics have mentioned the wording of the article is so obscure, it may be used to stamp out dissent.
Police on Sunday mentioned that they had recognized 25 social media customers who shared “provocative content material” that would fall afoul of that legislation.
In one other instance of the nation’s restrictions on the press, Turkey’s media watchdog additionally imposed momentary limits on reporting on Sunday’s explosion — a transfer that bans the usage of close-up movies and pictures of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Council of Radio and Tv has imposed related bans prior to now, following assaults and accidents.
Entry to Twitter and different social media websites was additionally restricted.
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Related Press journalists Cavit Ozgul and Khalil Hamra contributed to this report.